Universal joint.



A. G BOWEN.

UNIVERSAL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28.1909.

Patented July 6, 1915.

Xn vencor; 0m Q.

Witnesses;

' ems PATENT ore,

ADNh G. sowEN, or Mnnnm, New YonK.

UNIVERSAL JOIN'LL To all whom it may concern Be it known that LAigNA Bowmt a citizen of the United State s, residing in'the village of Medina, theconnty of Orleans and "State of New York, have invented ert how an i of mp em nt i U vo so Jo nts; d' dohorh y do i o hof l o o be. h n, o ar; hind oXhIo dop o o th ihr hti z Shoh ts. ll nable others skilled in" the art to which it appo a o who hid t e ho Same My inyention relates to universal joints, and has for its objeet'the production of :1 strong, 'simpleand reliable universal joint dapte to thstand ev r ohnt o o fOI the gre atest cap aocity strength "T object of htoh h s tottme P lh d y t construction ahd t h othoht illustrated in the accompanying drawings, w i h? i I A .r n t ure. a oh rztllohs h hhel sottiQI of the. t t a d a t l l o ti h and por tial elevation o fthe universal joint, Eig. II. is a central tran'syerseseetion of the same h' ho ne A B- Fig 12 is in or t ho'f a shaft member of the universal joint. Fig. IV. is a partial seetionel View of the plan of the same. Fig. V. is an elevation of the block. w i

Like reference numerals in the seyeral hr s eno e h m parts) T ver a joi ormi g th subi o matter of the present inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings in connection with the two shaft members numbered land 2, respectively, and embodies in its construetion two ja'ws'each having an internal cylindrical bearing surface, said jaws being arranged at substantially right angles to each other and embracing betweenthem a connecting block which provided with cylindrical bearing surfaces arranged with their axes at substantially right angles to each other, said bearing surfaoes on the,

block being substantially of uniform diameter from end to end ofthe bloclr whereby the members may be assembled orvseparated by a'sliding movement longitudinally of the s of the e r ng l l h 'st Each shaft member 1 and 2v is formed with abifurcatecl terminal best'seenin Fig. 3, where the arms are indicated the numeral 5 and the internal eylindrical' bearing surface by the numeral 6. This bearing sur face, it will be noted extends for, an angular distance about its axis a greater num;

Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented July 6, 19 15.

o of. de re s that e ha i l d e tt hoh r hoo i o etgoi oh W h it 'oo- Pot -tih'g hot ihgi 9th only to i ho d thttt zth b t mo emen xohgith y the axis of the bearing. From Figl it will be isee ri tliat th e'length of hearing or the wid th of the terminal arms is preferihlrhtthhlntho open ng otivoo tho nd 9t tho oo potfet h t ite Whor hy on f ho itWt orm d by tho arms e pass through the 'i rjw n ast mh i g o s pa atin the mi ts or ooh rat oh with th pp sitel epoQ t-d Jews av ng the hto htl oy ihdr a ttttihQ'S-hhthtifi B rtvid l oonho hs ck w ich bloc s Pr v d d wit hhd' t l ea -he u f e s" i his 5; the tXo f whieh hylintirieal bearing surfaces are ar-o hi ttl' 'ethhhtt htist l i tight hslo to oath. other and in substantially a single plane n smu h a oe ot fo tyhh t oh boa n tir'fttos on he it h is of ibsten t l fo m dith otor f om 6 3d. to. d; h l k p esents t tootthe lh ioiootfahoo hid it jhh tah ioll tohsu a ih rots ectio n ho Pleh of h v th 'to tho'h ht he t -fh o ot,

a shown n a i T i ohtt h iqh i he oh ohdod oy i 'di ioa boo ing Sh t t'os t wooh h omho of t j in Wh While ii rhi ltt he' o ho et hl' oo troo loxh'. f

moro ioh o fer it mo h m ros slt ihto o woor- Whe e it i doshio o. Provid fo th em er thin i' Wid hee s. or te? of o t mt t W t lh ioh to tech other, h edges of h 1' t o may be t w y; f rmin inelitied, siirfaees 9; ei1d 10 which will give" m t -ho t: o ottthhoo. o tho/onto! 1 of ho oo ittrotihs that htl' t o ame t m he thhooti e'hlo 1th n y be as emb ed or sopamtod b r at mo ement ohg tt o te of tho -Xo f t h oy ih fr o l he hi ht i ot me oth/' should. be prov de e ttt te'; he stoh movo ho n o de o hold, th ha ts; n t eir. Ptopor asse b e Po? t oh The meets Preferably adop ed is he casing which will inclose the jaw members with an annular internal bearing surface, as shown in Fig. 2, where the casing is indicated by the reference numeral 3. Conveniently, the outer faces of the jaws formed by the arms 5 and the inner face of the casing 3 are spherical, and the casing therefore takes the form of a sphere with portions cut away for the passage of the members connected by the joint. As shown in Fig. 1, the spherical casing 3 is formed in halves adapted to be joined together, one half having an opening therein which will fit one of the shaft ends snugly, while the other half is provided with a larger opening 3 which will permit of the angular disposition of the shaft members with relation to each other. For closing the opening 3 the casing may embody a third shell which is semispherical in form, as indicated at 3 and having an opening therein which will fit the shaft member 1 and bridge the opening 3 in any position which may be assumed by the shaft. With this construction the essential working members of the joint, to wit: the oppositely disposed jaws and connecting block, are practically entirely inclosed by the casing, whereby dirt is excluded and grease or lubricant retained.

It will be noted that the restraining member formed by the casing is not fastened or secured to the connecting block, and it is not necessary that it be designed for withstanding longitudinal stress, so that it may obviously be of different form and construction from that illustrated in the drawings, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to any particular construction of the restraining member, as it is only essential that some means be provided for retaining the jaws and block in their proper operative relationship after they have been assembled by relative movement longitudinally of the axes of the bearing surfaces. Some form of casing however is preferred, as it presents obvious advantages in addition to its function of maintaining the parts in their proper relative positions, but in every instance where a caslng is employed, as illustrated in the drawings, it is preferred that the casing should be free from any positive attachment to any of the parts, whereby it may travel independently during the action of the joint so as to prevent unequal wear at any particular point on its bearing surface.

To disconnect the joint it is only necessary to separate the two sections of the casing and slip one or the other of the jaws off of the connecting block by movement longitudinally of the axes of the bearing surfaces between the block and member, and this may be accomplished without the ne cessity of moving the shafts longitudinally, an advantage which will be readily appreciated by those having to connect or disconnect joints of this character where used between the proximate ends of power shafts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A universal joint embodying members having oppositely-disposed bifurcated terminals forming aws, each having an in ternal cylindrical bearing of uniform diameter from end to end, and a connecting block having cylindrical bearing surfaces of substantially uniform diameter from end to end, the axes of the bearing surfaces being at right angles to each other in a single plane, and the block being substantially rectangular in the plane of the axes, whereby the parts may be assembled by movement of each jaw longitudinally of the axis of its bearing on the block.

2. A. universal joint embodying members iaving oppositely-disposed bifurcated terminals forming jaws, each jaw having an internal cylindrical bearing of substantially uniform diameter from end to end and embracing more than 180 of a circle transversely of the axis of the bearing, and a connecting block having cylindrical bearing surfaces embraced by the jaws and disposed with their axes at right angles to each other, the diameter of the bearing surfaces being uniform and greater than the width of the arms forming the jaws, whereby the jaws and block may be assembled by relative movement longitudinally of the cooperating bearing surfaces.

8. A universal joint embodying members having oppositely-disposed bifurcated terminals forming aws, each aw having an internal cylindrical bearing of substantially uniform diameter from end to end, a connecting block having cylindrical bearing surfaces embraced by the jaws and disposed at right angles to each other, said bearing surfaces being of substantially uni form diameter from end to end of the block, whereby the parts may be assembled and separated by movement-of the jaws longitudinally of the axes of their bearings on the block, and a restraining member for preventing such movement to maintain the parts in their assembled relation.

4:. A. universal joint embodying members having oppositely disposed bifurcated terminals forming jaws, each provided with an internal cylindrical bearing surface of uniform diameter throughout, and a connecting block having external cylindrical bearing surfaces which are of uniform diameter throughout, extend to the corners of the block and are disposed with their axes intersecting substantially at right angles to each other and each of which is embraced by the bearing surface of one of said jaws to prevent longitudinal separation of the jaws, one of said jaws being movable onto new and off of its bearing surface on the block n t e. d ec ion f the xis o s id u fa substantially as set forth.

51 A universal joint embodying members having oppositely disposed bifurcated terminals forming jaws, each provided with an internal cylindrical bearing surface of uniform diameter throughout, a connecting block having external cylindrical bearing urface hich are of nif rm d am er throughout, extend to the corners of the block and are disposed with their axes intersecting at right angles to each other and each of which is embraced by the bearing surface of one of said jaws to prevent longitudinal separation of the jaws, each of said jaws being movable onto and off of its hearing surface on the block in the direction of the axis of said surface and transversely of the jaw, and means for restraining said jaws against transverse movement on said block, substantially as set forth.

6. A universal joint embodying members having oppositely disposed bifurcated terminals forming jaws, each provided with an internal cylindrical bearing which extends through an arc of more than 180, and the ends of which are spaced far enough apart to allow the passage between them of the other j aw, and a connecting block having cylindrical bearing surfaces which are disposed with their axes at right angles to each other and each of which is embraced by the bearing of one of said jaws, said block being movable in line with the axis of either one of its cylindrical bearin g surfaces into and out of the bearing in the jaws, whereby the parts of the joint may be assembled by movement of said block and one jaw into the other jaw in the direction of the axis of the bearing of said latter jaw, substantially as set forth.

7. A universal joint embodying members having oppositely disposed bifurcated terminals forming jaws, each provided with an internal cylindrical bearing surface of uniform diameter throughout, a connecting block having external cylindrical bearing surfaces which are of uniform diameter throughout, extend to the corners of the block and are disposed with their axes intersecting each other and each of which is embraced by the bearing surface of one of said jaws to prevent longitudinal separation of the jaws, each of said jaws being movable onto and oil of its bearing surface on the block in the direction of the axis of said surface and transversely of the jaw and a casing surrounding the jaws and block and having an internal bearing surface to restrain the jaws against bodily transverse movement on said block.

8. A universal joint embodying two members having oppositely disposed bifurcated terminals forming jaws each provided with an internal cylindrical bearing surface of substantially uniform diameter throughout, a iile i sk fit ng Wi hin e 'di f ir a hwi ig y indifizi b b i g" r f .eii h jaw of substantially uniform diameter and eit i ng to, e z'r e s af he b k'wliel 9-. by sai fblock is movable longitudinally of the axes of its bearing'surfaces into 'and'o it of the respective'jaws', and a surrounding s ng having an nt rna spherica bearing surface for restraining the bodily movements of the jaws and block with relation to each other.

9. A universal joint embodying two members having oppositely disposed bifurcated terminals forming jaws each provided with an internal cylindrical bearing surface, of substantially uniform diameter throughout, a connecting block fitting within said jaws and having a cylindrical bearing surface for each jaw of substantially uniform diameter and extending to the corners of the block whereby said block is movable longitudinally of the axes of its bearing surfaces into and out of the respective jaws, and a surrounding casing having an internal spherical bearing surface for restraining the bodily movements of the jaws and block with relation to each other, said casing having circular openings therein for the stems of the jaw members and being free to rotate independently of the jaw members and block.

10. A universal joint embodying two shaft members each having a jaw with an internal cylindrical bearing open at one side but extending through more than half the circumference of the cylinder, and a connecting block having two cylindrical bearing faces of uniform diameter throughout mounted in said bearings, said bearing faces intersecting to form a block rectangular in a plane parallel with the axes of the cylindrical bearing faces.

11. A universal coupling comprising in combination a central element having four cylindrical faces, one merging into another, and coupling members each provided with a fork having inner faces complementally formed with respect to and embracing said faces, the inner faces of each of said forks constituting an internal cylindrical bearing which extends through an arc of more than 180, said bearings having free lateral sliding movement with respect to the cylindrical faces of the central element, the width of each fork being relatively reduced with respect to the length of the cylindrical face 7 posed with respect to each other and the axis of one pair of cylindrical faces intersecting the axis of the other pair at the center of the block, and shaft jaws complemenperipheral sliding movement on said faces tally formed with respect to and embracing with respect to each other thereby permit- 18' said pairs of faces, each of said jaw faces conting an angular or axially alined adjustment stituting an inner cylindrical bearing which of said jaws.

extends through an arc of more than 180, and ADNA G. BOWEN. each pair being reduced in Width with respect Witnesses t0 the length of the cylindrical face engaged ABIEL BOWEN,

thereby, said jaws having free lateral and HELEN C. BOWEN.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

